The present technology relates to a display panel that includes an organic Electro Luminescence (EL) element for each pixel, and to a display unit that includes the display panel. The present technology also relates to an electronic apparatus that includes the display unit.
Recently, in a field of a display unit that displays an image, a display unit that uses a current-driven optical device as a light emitting device of a pixel is developed and is in commercialization. The current-driven optical device has light emission luminance that varies according to a value of a current flowing therethrough. Examples of the current-driven optical device include an organic EL device. The organic EL device is a self-light-emitting device unlike devices such as a liquid crystal device. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide a light source (backlight) in a display unit (organic EL display unit) that uses an organic EL device. Hence, the organic EL display unit is thinner and has higher luminance compared to a liquid crystal display unit that needs a light source. In particular, when an active matrix scheme is used as a drive scheme, each pixel is allowed to be held in a light emitting state and power consumption is thereby decreased. Therefore, the organic EL display unit is expected to be the mainstream of flat panel displays in the next generation.
In the active-matrix type display unit, a current flowing through an organic EL element, of the organic EL device, provided for each pixel is controlled by a thin film transistor (TFT) that is provided in a pixel circuit provided for each organic EL element (see Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2008-33193).